High-end tourism may boost the economy, but there could be an ethical cost.

Luxury
travel is important to the economy of most countries. High-end tourists are
vitally important to the industry in the developing
world. Not only are wealthy travelers willing to pay more for quality, they
are not as affected by economic ebbs as mainstream tourists.

At the same
time, in places like India, East Africa or the Caribbean, high-end travel can
bring back sometimes-uncomfortable memories of a colonial past that local
residents and tourists would both like to forget.

But local
travel companies don’t seem too bothered by this. They go out of their way to
romanticize the past, offering experiences that were common during colonial
times. In India, the Palace on
Wheels and the Maharaja Express
both offer luxury train trips that hearken back to the time when Great Britain
governed India. In Kenya and Tanzania, luxury tented safaris like those enjoyed
prior to independence are more popular now than ever before.

Imagine what's for dinner in the opulent dining car of the Maharaja Express. (Photo: Simon Pielow/flickr)

A history of five-star service

On a
practical level, the colonial past might have actually prepared these countries
to offer premium travel experiences. They are not starting their industry from
scratch, so it was never about developing a luxury travel industry. It
was simply about maintaining the high standard that was already in place.

Any manager
of a five-star hotel, no matter where it is located and no matter who owns it,
will tell you that the main goal is to give people a kind of vacation fantasy.
Waiters, concierges and even bartenders all play a role in guests’ travel
dreams. Being able to “play their part,” much like actors would, is part of
what brings value to luxury travel.

The
unfailingly polite and always-prepared attendants on the Maharaja Express and
the guides and cooks in Tanzania's safari camps understand this dynamic. This
is one of the main reasons why these places remain so popular with luxury
tourists.

Luxury brings added value

If you think
about it, luxury travel is actually ideal for countries in the so-called
developing world. Renovating old buildings or trains and then relying on people
and their service skills to bring extra value can grow the high-end travel
sector without a huge amount of international investment in new hotel and
resort developments.

Nature and
the environment can also benefit from luxury travel. Perhaps it’s not a very
democratic dynamic, but many tourists are simply priced out of the picture.
This means fewer people come to a destination, but those who do come are ready
and willing to spend as much as several regular tourists.

Less tourist
traffic means that the local nature (and also the local culture) can remain
more intact.

Part of one company's luxury safari in Tanzania includes an overnight stay on a private island in Zanzibar. (Photo: /Elevate Destinations)

Being both charitable and luxurious

Another
ethical qualm that people often level at the luxury tourism sector is that
travelers are getting cheap thrills at the expense of the local communities.
Critics claim that traveling in developing countries is not about gaining an
understanding of a place or even about sightseeing, but about finding a
sensation of adventure from traveling through someplace underdeveloped and
poverty-stricken. It’s hard to generalize about people’s motivation, but as
long as the money that they spend is going into the local economy, then how
much do their motives matter?

A few
companies make it possible for travelers to actually give back to their chosen
destination in various ways. One firm, called Elevate
Destinations, has a unique offering. Travelers actually buy two vacations,
one for themselves and one for a child in the developing world who will get to
enjoy a corresponding experience. The goal is to provide a vacation that a
child would not otherwise have and to foster an understanding of what is
attractive about their home country.

Some
companies are actually using charity
as a theme for their luxury travel packages. In places like Africa and
Cambodia, guests are pampered in luxury hotels or palatial safari tents.
However, their itineraries also include stops by local schools or orphanages or
even a few hours helping out on a conservation project.

People who
can afford luxury vacations are in a position to help even if they are not on a
charity-themed trip. Classic rocker John Kay, of Steppenwolf fame, paid for a
school to be built (and for teachers’ salaries) after a luxury tour to Cambodia
made
a lasting impression on him.

Luxury
travel will remain an important source of income for developing countries. It’s
up to the individual travelers who take these kind of trips to decide what
their motivation is and if they want to get involved any further in the
country.